“We need to stay solid”: Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana rallies the troops ahead of Arsenal clash | OneFootball

Chelsea centre-back Wesley Fofana believes the team has to be collectively focused if they’re going to come away with a result against Arsenal on Sunday evening.

The Blues are preparing to host their London rivals at Stamford Bridge in what is set to be one of the biggest games of the season.

Both clubs head into Sunday’s blockbuster on the back of big wins in the Champions League.

Chelsea outclassed Barcelona in a stunning 3-0 win while Arsenal finally got one over their continental bullies Bayern Munich with a 3-1 victory.

With both sides brimming with confidence, Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash in West London promises to be a pulsating affair that could have a telling impact on the Premier League title race.

Chelsea’s record in this fixture means they’ll go into the game as slight underdogs, having failed to beat Arsenal in their last seven meetings (D2, L5) going back to 2021.

However, Fofana believes the Chelsea team’s mindset is exactly where it needs to be heading into one of the biggest London derbies of the season.

“It’s a London derby,” Fofana said in a Chelsea interview ahead of Sunday’s contest. “Every time [we play Arsenal] it’s a difficult game.

“It’s a little bit similar to the Barcelona game. We need to defend 11 versus 11, all together, and try to do everything for the clean sheet. We need to stay together and stay solid.

“It’s good to keep a clean sheet, but we will also need to score and attack – and everyone needs to attack as well. We work well as a team, which is very important.

Fofana has been key to Chelsea’s recent run of form, helping Enzo Maresca’s side keep four clean sheets in their last five games in all competitions.

The Frenchman has struggled with injury problems since his big-money move from Leicester City, but is integral to Maresca’s philosophy.

He’ll be keen to maintain his form when Arsenal visit the Bridge, knowing a win would move Chelsea three points closer to Sunday’s visitors at the Premier League summit.